Robert Griffin III: Why Heisman Winner Will Have No Trouble Living Up to Hype

Even though he's expected to get selected second after Andrew Luck in Thursday's NFL draft, no prospect has generated more hype than Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III. Luckily for him, he's got all the tools to meet and exceed those expectations.

Griffin used a sensational junior season at Baylor to skyrocket up draft boards, making his decision to declare for the draft easy. He was never going to overcome Luck, who solidified his top-pick status a couple seasons ago, but Griffin serves as a rock-solid second pick.

He always had the potential to develop into a superstar, but not until last season did it seem like he put everything together. His tremendous athleticism paired with improved decision-making skills equate to an unlimited ceiling.

One thing that really stands out is Griffin's ability to know when to run and when to stand tall in the pocket. When Michael Vick, who really revolutionized the position for dual-threat quarterbacks, made the jump, he wasn't as polished in that area. Whenever a hole opened, he took off.

Griffin was a lot more selective last season. For example, against Iowa State he ran 24 times for 107 yards because the Cyclones were playing conservatively on defense. But when the passing game was getting the job done, like against Rice or TCU, he had no problem standing pat.

It's little things like that which make the difference between a successful player and one that can't keep up with the speed at the next level.

The Washington Redskins clearly had no doubts about his ability, trading a handful of picks over the next couple years in order to move up four spots to land him. The Redskins understood playing in the ultra-competitive NFC East meant they would reside in the basement until a new QB was brought in.

While that would seemingly put a lot of pressure on Griffin, it's actually not a bad place for him to land. When you consider Redskins fans endured a full season of Rex Grossman and John Beck, the bar for success should be pretty low for his rookie season.

Pretty much as long as he doesn't look completely lost, like those two quarterbacks frequently did while under center, Griffin will be considered a success. His supporting cast still needs improvement, but giving him time to develop while filling those other holes should work out perfectly.

By the time he reaches his potential about two or three seasons down the road, the Redskins' front office should have had plenty of time to build a winning roster around him.

The combination of his immense talent and entering an ideal scenario makes his bust potential low. And when a team sacrifices so many future picks, that's what they are looking to land. A prospect who can be the face of a franchise for many years to come.

He would be the top pick in just about any other season and will finally start a long-awaited turnaround in Washington.

Even though the hype machine has been working at full force for several months now, Griffin should have no trouble living up to the hoopla.